Tahshawn T’lahjuwon Smalls was 21 when he was fatally shot on the afternoon of September 22, 2022, at a car wash on Bay Road near Highway 707 in Horry County. An acquaintance drove a wounded Tahshawn to a nearby Sonic Drive-In after the shooting; he was taken to Grand Strand Medical Center, where he died.

Investigators linked an older model Lexus seen at the car wash to 18-year-old Devin Lee Johnson of Loris through surveillance footage and license plate readers; the vehicle was later recovered abandoned with bullet holes inside. Johnson was arrested on November 10, 2022. Cell phone data were used to place him at the scene. On April 11, 2024, he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Alex Hyman to 20 years in prison with a requirement to serve at least 85% before release.

Tahshawn’s family and the Myrtle Beach community held a funeral at St. James High School on October 2, 2022. If anyone knew Tahshawn or has information about the events at the car wash that afternoon, please come forward.